The Strength of a Woman
by Aiya Gabumpa
Summary: Haru Miura and the girls are now facing reality by adhering to training.  It gets more difficult when Haru Miura is now battling not only for her strength but for her heart as well. READ&REVIEW :


So yeah. I'm back again :) Here's another story, sorry if it's quite long and all, but I think I'm gonna make this a 2 shot or 3 shot who knows.

So I'm still working on my latest chapter for **"I Love You,Stupid"** which please do read and comment ;) so as for the appetizer, here's another story.  
>Please do ENJOY, READ and REVIEW.<p>

THANK YOU :3

STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED.

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><p><em>"The strength of a woman is truly divine, Coupled with beauty was His majestic design. Specifically created from his bone, So man would never have to walk alone.<br>To be at his side through thick and thin, Ever feeding his strength from within."_

_- an excerpt from The Strength of a Woman, by Robert Gassman. _

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><p>"Just fall in love with me already"<p>

Those were the words I heard before I succumbed to nothingness.

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><p>"So what do you think Haru-chan, can we make it today?" my best friend in the whole world asked me ever so lovingly. I just smiled encouragingly in her direction, not bothering to speak yet at the moment.<p>

Today marks the third day to finally hopefully start to train under Reborn-chan, he's asked Kyoko-chan, Hana-chan and I to train for our own protection since last three days ago. So now, we gathered here in Tsuna-san's backyard as we further discuss things with the famiglia about our training.

What a drag.

It was tough, I mean with all their boyfriends freaking out, thinking the girls can finally join in the battle after completing Reborn's training. But then I guess they freak out the most when they came in to terms that it's the greatest arcobaleno himself will be training their girlfriends and I.

Yes. I, Haru Miura, am not one of the girls who have a boyfriend to freak out for her. Unlike Hana-chan who surprisingly has Ryohei-senpai for her and of course my best friend, Kyoko-chan with her ever so loyal and loving Tsuna-san by her side, who's pretty much freaking out right about now.

"Reborn! I told you, please leave the girls out of this!" he practically begged for Reborn-chan to consider, but I guess when Reborn put his mind into something, nothing can stop him, earning Tsuna-san a painful whacked in the head.

"It's okay Tsu-kun, we can handle ourselves, and our teacher will be Reborn-san, I'm sure he'll take care of us" Kyoko-chan smiled so sickly sweet at him that activated my gag reflex and soothe his aching head.

"That's the reason I'm more worried you know" Tsuna reasoned, but he knew that the auburn had her mind set, nothing can ever stop her even him or her brother.

Ryohei-sempai placed a comforting hand on Tsuna-san's shoulder then on Kyoko-chan and silently nodded with silent tears running down on his face.

I know Ryohei-sempai is being, well he is, and handling the situation, for his case...very well? But I kind of find it as funny, so I faced the other way, away from the trio and the muddled face of Ryohei-sempai, trying my hardest not to let my giggling fit to overcome me.

Hana-chan seems to notice my hushed giggle so she just raised a questioning brow towards me, and just drop it all off. She knows how I find her boyfriend ridiculous at the moment because she too finds it too as well. It's not like we're gonna die, we're just gonna train under Reborn-chan... Reborn-chan...Wait. Am I right?

"Its okay guys, we're gonna be fine, it's not like we're gonna die right?" I kept my voice even, masking my expression with indifference, but seeing their reactions, it's like I was the stupidest woman living in this earth no In the Universe.

"What?" I asked being a defensive girl as I am, am not stupid you know.

"You might die, silly girl" the ever so creepy Mukuro just showed up with Chrome-chan trailing behind him.

"Now that's an exaggeration" voiced Hana, I think her patience limits only to this, with the family's exaggeration over our training with Reborn-chan and all.

"No, it's not, He's a demon!" Tsuna said with a horrified expression.

I turned to look at him and then at Reborn-chan. I know who he is, and what he is capable of, but a demon? That overrated even for Tsuna-san.

"Fine, say what you guys want, but whatever the case, I'll still be going for Reborn-chan's training whether you like it or not, it's my life anyway" I huffed and stomped at the ground to prove my point.

This silliness over training is getting the best at me, and my patience now is at a very low count.

As I stare at their blank faces, I heard a snicker from the group and snap my attention to him, my patience now dangerously hanging over the edge.

"You're still as stupid as ever, even though I haven't seen you in a year" he snickered some more. Hayato Gokudera, the grunt I have had always an argument since the first day I met him, returned. He had some eerie mission at some foreign shores in the United States of America and stuck there till today.

I did hope he'll stuck there forever, too damned to retuned back, but here he is, too damned for my liking, just returning and starting a fight.

"Ciaossu, Gokudera" Reborn tipped his little fedora hat at his direction.

"Welcome back Gokudera/-san" chorused the happy trio: Tsuna-san, Yamamoto-san and Ryohei-san.

"Kufufufu~ you're back, why so early?" a creepy smile flashed across his creepy face, as he nodded at Gokudera-san's direction. At the moment, I just forgot I had a fit and wondered how in the world, the sweet Chrome-chan liking this sadistic bastard...fine I'll admit, a handsome young...bastard nonetheless, which brings me to the subject of the other species, Gokudera.

"So what you're still an idiot snickering around like some sick psycho" I spat.

Okay maybe I went too far with my angry fits and all, but what made me, not only me by the way, but everyone in this space alike except maybe Reborn-chan and Mukuro whom I don't bother reading into much of their expression, were shocked when he only smiled lovingly my way.

"Are you not gonna retort back Gokudera?" asked the ever so obvious Yamamoto-san, but then I was wondering that myself too.

"No. Why should I? It's too childish for me anyway" he brushed off as he gently raked his finger through his silver hair.

Yamamoto-san merely laughed nervously by Gokudera's statement joined by another frantic laugh by Ryohei-sempai, oh, I forgot, add Tsuna-san's hysterical laugh too to bring more impact on how we feel right now.

Just around the fits of awkward laughter, a loud wail was heard followed by a nagging high chirp.

"Get away from Lambo-sama! I said these are mine! Haru-nee help me!" Lambo who eagerly run towards me, that adorable little runt.

"Wait! Lambo that's not yours Fuuta-kun and Mama needs that for the cake! Give that back now!" the stern I pin followed consistently making a dizzying circle around me.

"Lambo-san, I pin-chan please stop, you kids are making me dizzy" I voiced as I tried to hold my ground clutching my head, running nine year olds are making me sick quite frequently now a days.

The running stopped, but the wails grew much louder, if even that's possible for Lambo.

"Let go of me! Who are you too...?" his wails stop as Gokudera got a hold of him as he effortlessly hold him up, a few inches off the ground.

"Goku-nii, you're back" I pin said obviously elated by Gokudera's return, which is unfortunately not Lambo's reaction.

"Oi! Aho-dera not because you're back, you can bully me again! Let go of me! Haruuuuuuuu" Lambo yelled as he struggled to be free from Gokudera's grasp, I started to get him to free Lambo, when he suddenly just let him go.

"Huh?" both I and Lambo chorused, as he gave as an indifferent look.

Reborn cleared his throat to get our attention "So, back to the topic, I'm gonna take the girls now, since they're willing"

I get the feeling that, that topic has been long gone after Gokudera's appearance and extreme out of character personality, until Reborn's declaration.

"We're still on that? I thought we'll leave them out" Tsuna-san pleaded again.

"What happening Reborn?" Gokudera asked, and was explained by a rather bored arcobaleno.

"Well...have you explained what kind of training the girl's will have, Reborn-san?" Gokudera inquired.

At this question, the boys perked up, well, all have perked up. No one seemed to ask that question too.

"Haha that's funny. We haven't even asked that question yet" Yamamoto laughed it off with his usual...usual laughing.

Reborn smirked, bet he's tired with his frustrating students that he can't help but be amused.

"They never asked" he answered casually.

"Whaaaaaaat?" Tsuna half scream half screeched.

Geez, even though it's been five years since then, he's girlish screeched haven't improved, considering he's the boss of a biggest most powerful mafia, and kicked many bad ass over the flow of time, he's still just who he is back then.

I smiled despite myself, at his manner. The boy I pinned for almost five years before he and my best friend got together over the summer, was no longer in my reach.

Hana tugged my sides when she saw me looking rather downcast over Tsuna-san; I gave her a wide grin to prove her that I'm fine, that it was over and done with already. Yet I know from the back in my mind, that we both know it's not that easy.

"Then what are they gonna do to the extreme Reborn?" Ryohei asked a bit too pumped up earning Hana's attention back, away from me.

"Remember after the Millifiore attack, we have gotten everyone's test of flame?"

"Yeah I remember that, every single one's flame was identified, mine is the sun flame" Kyoko nodded.

Yeah I remember that too. There was a woman in her late twenties from Verde's team examining each and every one of us for our flame, not sure what the reason is, but even the girls were examined.

I remembered vividly when the woman, shrilled with excitement after examining me, exclaimed '_You're a dual flame user, you both have the flame of Storm and Rain, and the surprising thing is, and your main component flame is actually both. The equality of their strength lying inactive in your body is priceless. You're basically Gokudera-san and Yamamoto-san's lovechild!_'

I shuddered, just thinking about it, Gokudera and Yamamoto-san's lovechild? Sweet.

Going back to the present scenario, Reborn said that, it was all along due that that the girls would participate, in any area we can. That's why he had even the girls' flame be identified. It was just a matter of time, really.

"Since they're gonna be targeted anyway and you guys can't always be there for them, then well, they should learn how to kick some butts too" Reborn said in a matter of fact manner.

"That's not true, we could be there to protect them at all times, we had done it for the past four years too" Tsuna exclaimed clearly not buying the needs for the girls, specifically Kyoko-chan to learn how to fight. How sweet and naive if I may say so.

"Oh and you did a great job, but say, you all were out on a mission and something happens to them, I mean you're not always with them, right? Kyoko always go to shopping and I don't see you with her, am I right? So what if something will happen to her during shopping spree?" Reborn countered pleased by the fact that Tsuna's face placed understanding what he meant.

"So are we, or are we not gonna start training? It's been three days and we had this over and over again, it's practically annoying" Hana deadpanned.

She's right, it is foolishly annoying. At least I'm pretty much sure it'll be over today, since Reborn-chan gave us and the boys some decency to think it over for three days.

And our answer was to do it anyway; the boys are just giving their last effort of reasoning with us, which is completely doing nothing but driving us to do it more.

I can see Reborn's triumphant look under his mysterious fedora hat. Then suddenly a bunch of babies more likely more arcobaleno, huddled beside Reborn, each with different expression.

Colonello-chan's expression is bordered to indifference to bored, Fon-chan, I pin's master harbour a surprisingly patient, smiling expression, and of course Skull-chan was as petty as ever stomping around as if he was killing an ant, clearly agitated at the situation.

"Are you not done yet Reborn? I skull-sama just agreed to do this because you taunt me too, and now you're letting me wait?" one dirty look from Reborn shot in his direction and he's frozen as a dead slug.

"What are they doing here Reborn?" ask Tsuna not understanding the presence of the other arcobalenos.

"We're here to help train the girls, tenth boss of the Vongola" Fon answered instead of Reborn.

"And we'll make them as strong as they can be, Kora" Colonello added.

"Well, if it's them, then I guess they'll be in good hands to the extreme!" Ryohei, outburst nodding to how brilliant the teachers would be for the girls.

"Then if it's them, and they really wanted to do it, I guess it's fine Juudaime" Gokudera spoke up again, I almost forgotten how he is here now, that he just arrived, knowing next to nothing but already making decisions, humph what a bossy guy.

Tsuna shot a nervous glance towards his right hand man, if he, the always countering guy said it was fine then maybe it'll be fine.

"I can see their logic Tsuna, no need to be nervous about it, and I'm sure the girls can handle their selves well" Yamamoto interjects earning him another snicker from Gokudera.

"You, seeing some logic? Now that's new baseball idiot" his snicker turning to real laughter when Yamamoto's only response was to laugh as well.

Seeing his buddies laughing, and scanning the people around him, Tsuna heaved a sigh and announced "Fine. Let the girls learn, but just for one thing, be lenient with them, and please don't allow any harm to come to them, okay, Reborn-san? I trust you even if you're a demo..."

Poor Tsuna, he's speech was cut in the middle when Reborn gave him a side kick to the head.

"Alright now that's settled, so as your first course in your training, we would train you to harness your flames, to know them better, so you can control it better. Kyoko you'll be coming with me, so we can harness you're sun flames skills, Hana you go with skull, and Haru you can go with Fon and Colonello" Reborn pointed us to our respective tutor.

"Huh. Why do I get the lousy one?" Hana complained.

"Oi! I'm not lousy you...you..." Skull stopped being too intimidated by Hana.

"What? You octopus runt?" Hana arched her brow towards him, hands both on her waist. She sighed and then let her hands fell on her sides "Fine, come on then tako-runt, so we could start harnessing my cloud flame" and both of them withdrew from Tsuna's backyard, and off they went to start their training.

"You sure they'll be fine to the extreme?" asked Ryohei-sempai quite concerned with Hana and Skull.

"Of course! Even if Skull's a bit slow, he won't be part of the arcobaleno for nothing; Hana-san is in good hands, Kora" Colonello assured, concern slowly drawing out of Ryohei-sempai's face.

Before Kyoko went ahead with Reborn, Tsuna grab her wrist gently and hugged her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead and then let go.

"Hey."

What? I looked at the keeper of the sarcastic '_hey' _giving him my most dangerous glare.

"Good luck, stupid woman" he half smirk half smiled.

The crease in between my brows deepen, what did he meant by 'good luck' plus that annoying nickname for me. There's something about him that pisses me more than seeing Tsuna-san and Kyoko-chan devouring each other with kisses in my face.

I grunt a thank you towards his general direction, not really looking at him and went on my way to mu tutors.

"Ready to go, Kora?"

"Yeah"

And so our hellish training had begun.

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><p>"Is that the best you can do, Kora?" he asked me, I know he's not being mean or what, but this is training, and for two hours, I haven't had any progress. Crap, is it that really hard to ignite both of my flames in one ring?<p>

"Focus harder Miura! You can do it; you can even ignite the rain flame and the storm flame as individual flames, but what we need you to do is to ignite them as one" Fon encouraged, and I'm far from being encouraged right now.

I have never seen Tsuna-san or any of the other guardians to wield two flames at once...oh wait; Gokudera-san can wield five flames right? But he needed five different rings for those to be ignited, so why am I the only one, who should ignite two flames as one?

'_You're basically Yamamoto-san and Gokudera-san's lovechild!' _I laughed remembering it all of a sudden making both Colonello-san and Fon-san to look at me like I'm a complete madman.

"Oh sorry, I just remembered something funny" I reasoned, trying and failing on my attempts to silence my laughter.

"Focus, Kora" Colonello huffed; lenience is something long overdue for him at this stage, especially when his student is me.

"Okay...think about this Miura-san, what is the common trait you can find in both the Storm flame and the Rain flame?" breathed Fon.

I thought about it...Hard...come on brain cells answer.

"Water?" I tried, but then Fon just slowly shook his head, so I thought hard again.

Something in common between rain and storm, besides the water part...Think Haru.

Images of both Yamamoto-san and Gokudera-san filled my mind, being the owners of the said flame, they just popped into my mind.

Is there a common denominator in the two, even if there's one what is it?

A sudden realization hits me, when it comes to the famiglia they can be deadly calm to ferociously destructive.

Like the calmness before the rain, and the calmness in the eye of the storm.

With that in mind, I tried again with my resolve and the knowledge in my flame; I tried igniting my ring again. I don't know how long it took the bluish-red flame suddenly flickered proudly on my ring finger.

My eyes as wide and big like plate saucers look at the dancing flame on my ring, I know I heard Colonello and Fon congratulate me in that moment, but I couldn't voice them out, cause my attention all focused at the bluish-red flame dancing lightly on my hand.

"So what is it then?" Fon broke my reverie, bringing me back to them.

"Huh?" I mumbled incoherently.

"The common train the two flames have?"

"Oh. It was the calm before the calamity"

And they both smiled at my answer.

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><p>I huffed; breathing is a pain, not when you're all sore and bruised up. I wonder how the other girls are. Are they doing fine with their tutors? Are they all bruised up like me as well? I can't imagine the ever gentle Kyoko-chan wheezing like me right now or a bruised up Hana lying on the floor.<p>

After finally igniting my dual flame, my next course is to train in hand on hand combat, for short martial arts with Fon.

Fon the lovely master of I pin can be such a scary baby on the battlefield, his smiley calm face is what I feared the most, I rather see an angry looking Fon punching me all the way, which will look more radical in why I'm all bruised up, but instead with a smile on his face, he spar with me, and left me on the floor all bruised up after just an hour.

"Get up, Miura, remember to calm yourself and focus all your destructive storm abilities in your knuckles and activate your rain flame to harmonize your hand and foot coordination for more agility and precise" he said looking down on me, unscathed.

"I...I understand" I heaved another painful breath and stagger around as I stood up. I closed my eyes and focused my flames on parts he directed me to focus, storm to have a destructive blow ad rain form my agility.

In seems after another hour of trying and failing I slumped to ground, not bothering to care how comfortable the ground and the grass it is for me now that I've grown accompany to the green grass that cushioned my fall every time he'll beat me to a pulp.

"Are you gonna give up Miura?" he asked still, stupidly and irritatingly unscathed.

I didn't answer; I just bowed my head and cleared my mind.

How can I lay just even one punch on him? He's too fast and whenever he counters me, I'm plopped to the ground.

With one last strength, I stood up, even more bruised than hours before, and it's now or never.

"You ready Miura?" he asked.

I nodded; eyes closed waiting for him to take the initiative step for once.

I heard the shifting of his steps, so good, it seems he took the initiative step towards me, I concentrated on my footwork constantly pulling them up and down like I was jogging in place, letting my flames takes their respective measure on my body.

That was when I heard a shift right next to my right and ducked and gave my destructive blow to the left.

I know it must be crazy, the sheer sound I heard was from the right yet I blew on the left, when I opened my eyes, I smiled even though he caught up with me and gave me another blow right across my stomach, there he is smiling with his hand clutching his stomach as well.

"Good job, Miura, you hit me, and you hit me pretty good" Fon congratulated me and bowed, leaving me to rest for awhile for the next course.

I lay there defenceless too tired to even guard myself from the sun that scorching right down, warming me up; when suddenly a shadow cast down on my figure on the grass, getting rid of the hateful sun that's been licking my frame.

I opened my eyes and regretted doing it so.

"Hey"

I didn't answer; he seems to try again "I said hey, are you now deaf stupid woman?"

The look on his face on his smug face as he says my petty little nick of a name infuriate me more, I glared despite the case my body is currently in now.

He seemed to not care how I dare shoot him my glare daggers as he continues to piss me off.

"You seem really beaten up huh"

"Yeah right, captain obvious" I muttered under my breath.

He laughed at my attempt of snide comments, what the hell is his problem?

"Why are you here? Why did you agree to do all of this?" he asked, is that really concern in his voice?

"Why do you care? You can ask the other girls if you like if you're that curious" I retort.

Since earlier that morning all I did was get pissed by him, never did I welcomed him home back, which is weird, he never done anything to really set my steams off the roof but, I just do.

"It's not that I care per say, I understand Sasagawa and Kurokawa's intentions on being trained you know, with all their boyfriends and they hate to let them suffer alone, so they'll come in to join the party, but you, I don't know, why?" he sat down beside me and I refuse to sit up or look at him, he's words kind of hurt you know, so just because I don't have a boyfriend I can't join in the fight as well, since I really don't have a person to protect too or join on the suffering?

"I know. I know all too well, how I'm not really connected to this famiglia, but is it that wrong for me to like to protect this band of people because I call them my friends?"

"That's not what I meant"

"Then what exactly Gokudera? What? Are you here just to rub it on my face? After disappearing for a year and coming home on the same year that I was dumped just to rub it on me that I no longer have a hope of connection to this famiglia? That I'm petty for even trying to establish my part here? What?" I asked, voice a little too loud, no I'm not crying, I was dead tired and I was angry at him that's all.

"You're a part of this famiglia Haru, not Juudaime or doing this will establish your part because you're already achingly sketched in our famiglia. I'm sorry for disappearing without even telling you a proper goodbye, it was just urgent, the mission" he breath obviously exasperated with talking to a crazed woman.

Our relationship was always on the toe of destruction, we bicker a lot, and the others just left us be, tired on how relentless we can get. But that is how we established our friendship, if we can be generous on calling our relationship as one; we knew and won't admit it to each other over our dead bodies though, that we find comfort on our petty arguments, or silence. The loneliness we both have has always been reduced next to nothing when we're together, so when he suddenly took off without the decency of telling me, I felt lonely and betrayed.

"I don't care, I was hoping you'd never come back, but here you are, so it's true that not all wishes do come true" I scoffed but my words aren't exactly describing what I felt at the moment.

He brushed my snarky come back and just looked me in the eye "I heard"

"What?"

"About Juudaime and Sasagawa finally being together"

"And so?" if he's gonna console me with his fake kindness, I swear I'll use what I just learned from Fon on him.

"I wish them happiness" I rolled my eyes, of course he would, for his beloved Juudaime's happiness, if it's his death wish I'm sure that'll be it.

He kept on staring at me, and it's making me conscious on my form more, I must look like a ragged doll, all bruised and bloodied up. I struggled to sit up, but the asshole never even bother to help me up.

"What are you staring at? Is there dirt on my face?" I asked sarcastically.

"Oh no, I never intended to make bruises and cuts and dried blood as dirt, so none" he smirks as I laughed.

Ugh. Now I regretted laughing, my sore ribs are now screaming at my idiocy. This man, he must have known yet he made such a comment that made me laugh. All my hate vibes focus on him again.

"So got a new boy you like?" from the way he delivered it, I'm sure he's teasing me, so I'll ride.

"Oh yes, in fact he likes me too, as well"

"Huh, I suppose this guy knows you right?" I can't help to snicker, he has found out that I was referring to an actor, of course I would like him and he would like me since I'm a fan.

"Oh bet he does...Why did you suddenly came back, without any notifications and all" I continued.

"I'm just the man who comes and goes so better grab a hold of me before I go again" he said in a straight face, what a retard, I laugh as long as I dare, until my rib and every sore part on my body is practically protesting at my once again outburst. Damn him and his antics.

"Easy there, stupid. As you may know, I'm just currently been released from my previous mission, so I'm back" he said after laughing with me as well.

"And what's this mission, you never spoken about?"

"It's a secret" he winked. Ugh is he playing some seductive bastard?

"..?" I fake being horrified, if he can fake it by being all sweet and seductive or whatever creature he's planning on copying then I can too. Two can play at his game.

"He just grew up" he smiled faintly and I was clearly taken a back a bit.

"Is that what going abroad does to you?" I asked.

"If it is, what are you gonna do about it?" he teased.

Of all the wide range of words from snarky come backs to plain insults all I can muster was a blush and a grunt. Stupid, stupid me.

"You're red, you must be dead tired, looking at your beat up state, I must say let's bring you to the infirmary" he said clearly concern about my health, glad he was too dumb to even consider my color as an annoying blush.

"Nope, better leave her there, she's not yet finished with her training regimen for the day, Kora" Thank goodness, I can never be much happier to see Colonello-chan at this time and day.

"You heard the baby, so go now, bye "I smiled and that left him to frown and shrugged and started on his way to exit.

* * *

><p>So it's Colonello-san's turn to teach me, he said he's gonna teach me some weapon training. So I though it will be something awesome and spectacular like his rifle, instead he handed me some ancient little bells.<p>

"Is this it?" I asked clearly annoyed by the fact that all I have is some ancient artefacts, no offense but I want something much cooler and something that I know is a weapon.

I mean can you inflict damage with a bell? Come on.

"You like it, Kora?" he asked clearly enjoying this, probably not my reaction, cause he truly, genuinely enjoying the weapon he chose, not to piss me or anything.

"Y-yeah" I lied; I just can't bring myself to disappoint the guy with his weapon of choice.

"Let's start then, put each of the bells in the spaces between your fingers, six bells all in all for the six spaces excluding the space between your thumb and pointer finger"

"Okay, got it"

"Okay then, with your dual flame try igniting them and course your flame through the bells and see what will happen, Kora"

Curious I tried doing what the rain arcobaleno say, I let my dual flame be ignited then course it through the bells. The bells were immediately covered by the bluish-red flame, I was again mesmerized by its beauty when it happen, the bells shook a little then gold fine strings shoots from inside the bells and came out dancing in the air.

"Wow. What is that?"

"That's gold strings, too strong to be cut by any regular flame and metal and still flexible, it only listens to the wielder of the dual flame, which is you. Try imagining where you want it to go or which shape you want it to be Kora" he said, elated by the weapon.

At first I tried thinking for the string to go right, it does only it was for just an inch.

"I thought we have solved your concentration and focus problems earlier this day, what happened, Kora?" he asked me sceptically.

What is my problem? You're asking me? You're asking me what in the world is my problem?

My problem is that every time I'll close my eyes, I see that idiot guy's face, as I keep on battling his image in my stupid head, my focus is faltering, now how can I actually say this to the brat?

I grunt, and tried again. Damn. This is way too hard; he seems to just not go away. What's wrong with me? Ugh.

Colonello-san seems to have noticed that THERE is something bogging my concentration.

"If you can't focus like before, then try focusing on that thing that's been bothering you, Kora"

I look at him, abashed by his advice. He means that I should focus on him if I can't focus on something else.

I gritted my teeth as I welcomed the images of that stupid octopus inside my head, from the weird display of him earlier that day, to the unusual mature yet still childish Gokudera just this afternoon to the brash idiot she have known in the past.

"_If it is, what are you gonna do about it?" _

I blushed as I suddenly remembered what he said earlier that afternoon.

Of course I'm not gonna do anything about it, it's not like my business too anyway, if he wants to be frivolous or hell whatever he wants just because he went to America for a year, then be my guess. It has nothing to do with...me.

I froze as a distant memory resurfaces on my mind like it was just yesterday...

The clouds that day were gray, a sign of imminent rain, that loomed over Namimori Cemetery.

"_Hahi? Gokudera-san what are you doing here?" _

He did not replied, maybe he did not notice me at all as he seems kind of out of this world by the look he was having; instead he kept on his crouched position while staring at an old dirty tomb in front of him. I tried making a name out of the tomb's surface, but it seems swept clean like it was dug out to purposely destroy the engraved name on it.

We were still in high school back then, the time when I finally joined them in Nami-chuu. That day I was just going to visit my mother's tomb, not expecting anyone to bump in too, especially not him.

The tomb that Gokudera visited that day was not that far too where my mother lay, so I just left him and went to tend to my mother's grave. After cleaning the tomb, I uttered a silent prayer and left her favourite flower: Hydrangea the white kind.

As I walked towards the exit, I noticed that Gokudera-san was still there. I silently walked towards him, when something very unusual made me stop_._

"_Damn it. Why?" he asked to no one out loud, with silent tears streaming down his beautiful face._

It was the first time I seen him shed any painful emotions like that, and for the first time I realized two things about Hayato Gokudera, first he was as broken as I am but too tough to show it and that he is _beautiful_.

"Congratulations, Kora!"

"Huh? What?" I asked as his loud voice brought me back to the present and opened my eyes, confused on to what was going on.

"You did it, you were able to control the string, and in such manoeuvre you'd think it's just another part of your body. Great concentration you got there, Kora" he said pleased with my work.

What work exactly? All I did was to think of Gokudera.

The strings were still dancing in midway, but I noticed something different, the once gold strings are now occupied with leaves, maybe subconsciously it went through to the trees just to poke leaves into it.

I smiled; I can finally do the basics!

When Colonello let me rest for the day, I just lumped to the soft grass and lay there, not worrying anything since the sun has long been gone a while ago.

I stared at the starry sky before me, contented at today's training results. But I know I must work harder tomorrow, and with that and _him_ in mind, I slowly drifted to sleep.


End file.
